BLACKSBURG — As far as James Johnson's approach to the Virginia Tech's men's basketball job was concerned, athletic director Whit Babcock thought he had a Hall of Fame-caliber person and organizer on his hands in the month or so he observed Johnson.

It was the on-court disaster that led Babcock to where he is today — seeking a replacement leader for Tech's downtrodden basketball program.

Babcock said Tuesday morning a decision on the identity of that next head coach may come quick, or it may take until after the Final Four early next month, but there was no sugar-coating what will be required of the new guy.

Win more than Johnson.

"Everything he did off the court, I was incredibly pleased with," said Babcock of Johnson, who was fired Monday after compiling a 22-41 overall record and 6-32 conference mark in two seasons in the ACC. "It sounds tough, but it's true. This simply came down to wins and losses."

Tech's next head coach will be charged with trying to keep the program from sinking to a fourth consecutive losing season for the first time since it endured five straight such seasons from 1989-93. In 61 years of ACC men's basketball, only eight times has a conference program had a streak of losing seasons reach at least four years.

Babcock said he met Sunday for a lengthy discussion with Johnson, and arrived at the final decision Sunday night to pursue a new coach. Babcock informed Johnson, who never had been a head coach before his role at Tech, of his decision around 11 a.m. Monday. Tech's players were not available Tuesday for comment.

"The most difficult part of this situation is telling a guy that he doesn't have a job anymore and impacting him, his family, his friends and his staff," said Babcock, who expressed a desire to bring in a coach "ideally" with head coaching experience, and that he would consider both established and up-and-coming candidates.

"Do I think we could've been incrementally better next year? I do. But when I came to it in my own mind that I didn't feel that this group was the one that could get us to the middle of the conference or higher, I just felt like we needed to go ahead and do it."

Johnson, who didn't return multiple voicemails left for him, lost 17 of the last 18 games he coached at Tech (9-22 overall this season, 2-16 ACC). After spending five seasons as an assistant at Tech, he took over in 2012 as Tech's coach after former coach Seth Greenberg was fired at the conclusion of his ninth season in Blacksburg.

Tech started a surprising 7-0 last season under Johnson, including a win against No. 15 Oklahoma State, but it would be the Hokies' only victory against a ranked opponent with Johnson running the program. Tech, which had losing streaks of nine last season and 10 this season, was 1-10 against ranked foes in Johnson's two seasons as coach.

"I will never criticize coach Johnson," Babcock said. "He worked his tail off. He's as good a man as I've been around in this profession, but I do think the one thing that makes it a little bit different than 'two years' is the fact that he was here for five before that as an assistant, recruited some of the players, but that was a tough call. Time will tell if that was the right one, but I feel that it is."

Babcock took over Feb. 17 as Tech's AD in place retired Jim Weaver. Though Babcock said he didn't have his mind up to make a coaching move before his arrival, he stuck to his decision once he made it.

"I really wanted to see the season in total," Babcock said. "Yeah, your mind might drift one way or the other as the season is going, but once I got my hands around what I thought was right, as a leader I believe you've got to make that decision and then move on."

While Tech's poor attendance at home games (averaged 4,812 fans per game this season in 10,052-seat Cassell Coliseum) was considered by Babcock in the decision-making process, he added it wasn't a "driving factor."

There are plans to try to make Cassell Coliseum a more fan-friendly venue. Babcock said he wants to install a new sound system before next season. He has aspirations to improve the lighting in the future.

Babcock does have a wish list of coaches he'll pursue, but added he doesn't "have a coach in my hip pocket." While retaining 2014 signees Justin Bibbs, Jalen Hudson and T.J. Lang ranks high on Babcock's list of importance for a new coach, preferably along with knowledge of the I-95 corridor, the potential to win on a consistent basis will clearly be the deciding factor.

"I just feel if you're going to be in this conference, as long as they're keeping score, we might as well win," said Babcock, who has seen Tech's wrestling and men's swimming and diving programs win ACC titles thus far in his short tenure in Blacksburg. "That's more fun than losing."